Cold War- The Cold War got its name because there was no direct military engagement between the United States and the Soviet Union.

  • Chinese Communist Revolution

    Chinese Communist Revolution
    The Chinese Communist Revolution was a social and political revolution that culminated in the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949. The People's Liberation Army won three major campaigns that forced the Nationalist government to retreat to Taiwan. The cause of the Chines revolution was poverty, abuse, and early death.
  • Cuban Revolution

    Cuban Revolution
    Fidel Castro and his rebel forces successfully overthrew the Cuban government led by Fulgencio Batista. The revolution was fueled by a desire for social justice, economic equality, and the end of Batista's dictatorship. The revolution had a significant impact on Cuban society, politics, and relationships with other countries, particularly the United States.
  • Formation of the Eastern Bloc

    Formation of the Eastern Bloc
    The Eastern Bloc was formed by Joseph Stalin who was the leader of the soviet union. It was primarily to protect Soviet military interests. The identity of the Eastern Bloc rested on the Warsaw Pact and Comecon.
  • Postwar occupation and division of Germany

    Postwar occupation and division of Germany
    Germy was divided into four occupied zones: Great Britain in the northwest, France in the southwest, the United States in the south and the Soviet Union in the East. Berlin situated Soviet territory was also divided into four occupied zones.
  • Enactment of Marshall Plan

    Enactment of Marshall Plan
    The Marshall Plan generated a resurgence of European industrialization and brought extensive investment into the region. It was also a stimulant to the US economy by establishing markets for American goods. The Marshall Plan was applied solely to Western Europe.
  • Berlin Blockade and Airlift

    Berlin Blockade and Airlift
    The Berlin Blockade was one of the first major international crises of the Cold War. The Western Allies responded with a massive airlift to come to West Berlin's aid. It was a 327 day operation in which the US and British planes flew food and supplies into West Berlin after the Soviets blockaded the city in 1948.
  • Korean War

    Korean War
    The Korean War began on June 25, 150, when some 75,000 soldiers from he North Korean People's Army poured across the 38th parallel, the boundary between the Soviet- backed Democratic People's republic of Korea to the north and the pro-Western Republic of Korea to the south.
  • Overthrow of the Guatemalan Government

    Overthrow of the Guatemalan Government
    This was a CIA backed coup. It removed President Jacobo Arbenz, who had implemented policies that threatened U.S. business interests, particularly those of the United Fruit Company. Arbenz's land reform and nationalization plans alarmed the US, which lead to his overthrow and the installation of a more US- friendly regime.
  • Vietnam War

    Vietnam War
    The Vietnam War was a conflict between North Vietnam, supported by communist allies, and South Vietnam, supported by the United States. The war had a significant impact on both Vietnam and the world, and it resulted in the reunification of Vietnam under communist rule.
  • Bays of Pig Invasion

    Bays of Pig Invasion
    The Bays of Pig Invasion was a failed military invasion of Cuba in April 1961. Orchestrated by the CIA and carried out by a group of Cuban exiles, the aim was to overthrow Fidel Castros communist government. However, the invasion was poorly executed and ended in disaster.
  • Building of the Berlin Wall

    Building of the Berlin Wall
    The purpose of building the Berlin Wall was to stop the massive emigration and defection from the Eastern Bloc to the West through the open border that Berlin represented. The wall effectively divided East and West Berlin and became a symbol of the Cold War's division of East from West Germany and more broadly the Eastern Bloc from the Western world.
  • Cuban Missile Crisis

    Cuban Missile Crisis
    The United States discovered that he Soviet Union was secretly installing nuclear missiles in Cuba. This led to a tense standoff between two superpowers , with the U.S. demanding the removal of the missiles and imposing a naval blockade around Cuba. The crisis was resolved peacefully, with the U.S. agreeing not to invade Cuba and the Soviet Union agreeing to remove its missiles from the island.
  • Rise of the Palestine Liberation Organization

    Rise of the Palestine Liberation Organization
    The PLO emerged in the 1960s as a nationalist movement representing Palestinian people. It aimed to establish an independent Palestinian state and regain rights for Palestinians displaced by the creation of Israel.
  • Prague Spring

    Prague Spring
    The Prague Spring was a period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia that began in January 1968. It was characterized by a push for greater political and economic reforms, including increased freedom of speech and a loosening of Soviet control.
  • Soviet War in Afghanistan

    Soviet War in Afghanistan
    The Soviet War in Afghanistan lasted for ten years. It was a conflict between the Soviet Union and Afghan rebel groups knows as the Mujahideen. The Soviet Union intervened i Afghanistan to support the communist government, but faces strong opposition from the Mujahideen, who were backed by various countries, including the United States.
  • Solidarity Movement in Poland

    Solidarity Movement in Poland
    This was a significant social and political movement that emerged in the 1980s. It was led by Lech Walesa. It was a trade union movement that advocated for workers' rights and political reforms in the communist-ruled country.
  • Tiananmen Square Massacre

    Tiananmen Square Massacre
    The Tiananmen Square Massacre was a pro-democracy protest led by students and other groups calling for political reform and freedom of speech. The Chinese government declared martial law and deployed troops and armed vehicles to suppress the protests. The military violently cracked down on the demonstrators, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of people.
  • Fall of the Soviet Union

    Fall of the Soviet Union
    The Soviet Union faced internal and external pressures that led to its dissolution. Economic stagnation, political unrest, and demands for greater freedom and independence from the republics within the Soviet Union all contributed to its downfall,
  • Fall of the Berlin Wall

    Fall of the Berlin Wall
    As tensions eased and protests grew, the East German government unexpectedly announced that travel restrictions would be lifted. Throngs of people gathered at the wall, and eventually, border guards opened the checkpoints.
  • 9/11 Attacks

    9/11 Attacks
    The 9/11 attacks were a series of coordinated terrorist attacks carried out by the extremist group al-Qaeda. Four commercial airplanes were hijacked, with two of them crashing into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, causing the collapse of both towers. Another plane crashed into the Pentagon in Virginia, while the fourth plane crashed into a field in Pennsylvania after passengers fought against the hijackers.